“Then there is some one?”
Billy smiled. A deeper pink showed in her cheeks.
“Why, there's one—a man but he isn't really father's people, anyway. But I—I have been tempted to write to him.”
“Who is he?”
“The one I'm named for. He was father's boyhood chum. You see that's why I'm 'Billy' instead of being a proper 'Susie,' or 'Bessie,' or 'Sally Jane.' Father had made up his mind to name his baby 'William' after his chum, and when I came, Aunt Ella said, he was quite broken-hearted until somebody hit upon the idea of naming me Billy.' Then he was content, for it seems that he always called his chum 'Billy' anyhow. And so—'Billy' I am to-day.”
“Do you know this man?”
“No. You see father died, and mother and Aunt Ella knew him only very slightly. Mother knew his wife, though, Aunt Ella said, and SHE was lovely.”
“Hm—; well, we might look them up, perhaps. You know his address?”
“Oh, yes unless he's moved. We've always kept that. Aunt Ella used to say sometimes that she was going to write to him some day about me, you know.”
“What's his name?”